Demarai Gray’s decision to leave Everton for Saudi Arabia was inspired, among other things, by Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson.

Following a dramatic rupture in their relationship when the Premier League transfer market closed a few days earlier, Gray finalised his transfer to Al-Ettifaq on Thursday, which is estimated to be worth £8 million to the Blues.
Gray said that his choice to leave Europe was influenced by his new teammate Henderson and new manager Gerrard, even though his future at Everton was in doubt due to the dispute’s intensification and teams in the Middle East were among his limited options by last week. For the most of August, he had been connected to a transfer to the Saudi Pro League.

Gray mentioned the two former Liverpool captains in remarks made after playing for Jamaica against Honduras on Saturday, according to Jamaican news source The Gleaner: “I think it was time for me to move on, and speaking to the manager there, I felt like I wanted the new challenge, opportunity, and feel of something completely different.

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There is currently a lot of anticipation surrounding the Saudi league, which is extremely large and attracts a lot of players. I believe it’s a smart idea for me and where I’m at in my career right now, and I was influenced by other guys, like Henderson. I was given wise counsel, which was beneficial helped me make my decision.”

Gray’s Everton career appeared to be rejuvenated, only to be destroyed during a difficult weekend. Gray resorted to social media to say, in an apparent dig at Blues boss Sean Dyche, “it is so difficult to play for someone who doesn’t show you respect as a person.” That occurred less than 24 hours after Dyche said Gray, who had not played in the final stages of pre-season or the first five competitive games of Everton’s season, was in his plans.

Dyche later stated Gray declined to practice as a rebuke, with the central message being that no player is bigger in the club. Dyche attributed Gray’s extended absence from the first team to fitness difficulties.

The 27-year-old declared himself match fit in his farewell message from the Blues before playing – and scoring – for Jamaica this weekend. Gray stated he was “disappointed” that his time at Everton had come to an end, adding, “Obviously, being from England, where my family lives, it was a difficult decision, but in football, you have to make sacrifices sometimes.” Yes, I am upset in how I left Everton because they provided me with some memorable memories during our two-year battle to avoid relegation. I wished them well, and I made some nice friends there, but that chapter is now closed.